Across the hallway
by LonelyCreator
Summary: Mikaela's thoughts always seemed to be filled with the strange boy who live across the hall from him. Was it normal to think so much about someone you'd never even spoken to? (More fluff from the same AU as 'Up on Cloud Nine' - Yoichi and Kimizuki make an appearance, yay.)


**Across the Hallway**

Mikaela wasn't sure when it had begun. He had known from a young age that there was strange boy living across from his apartment where he lived with his adoptive mother, Krul – a small, fierce, no-nonsense women. He also knew that the boy was adopted too and that they were the same age and that his mother wasn't fond of the boy's father.

However, that was all he knew.

At first.

Over the years Mikaela was able to piece together pieces of information about his neighbour's life. The first thing he learned was probably the most important: His name.

" _Damnit! Shinya! Yuichiro's trying to get out the door – grab him!"_

" _Uh, right! C'mere Yuichiro- tch! Ah, he bit me…"_

" _YUICHIRO STOP BITING PEOPLE- ARGH!"_

"Must they be so darn noisy this early in the morning? No wonder half the building complains about that man." Krul grumbled over her black coffee as Mikaela just silently stared at the front door with his big blue eyes full of curiosity and his little cheeks stuffed with breakfast.

The second thing he learned was just as important as a name: what this Yuichiro looked like.

It was on the first day of school, Krul had just taken photographs of Mikaela in his private school uniform – neat, with white shorts and a white blazer, complete with a little black bow. They were exiting their apartment at the same time as Guren. He and Krul locked eyes for a moment, a hostile air swirling between them – this apparently happened a lot but this was the first time Mikaela had actually seen it. While his mother was distracted Mikaela took this brief chance to look at the boy standing by Guren's leg. With his scruffy ebony hair and large emerald eyes he was the total opposite of Mikaela – even his uniform, which was black and green. Yuichiro looked at Mikaela for a brief moment but then turned his attention back to the teddy bear in his little hands. Next thing Mikaela knew Krul was dragging him down the corridor away from their neighbours. Glancing over his shoulder one last time he saw Yuichiro still fixated on the bear with wonder in his eyes while his father continued to chat with the light haired man in their apartment. For some reason he felt annoyed that the other boy didn't look back at him.

As the years passed and they grew up Mikaela kept seeing or hearing Yuichiro around the apartment building, whether it was when he was leaving and the other was returning home or when he was having fights with his father over such trivial things; like who's turn it was to wash the dishes or whose fault it was that they were out of milk… again.

When he was younger, around 7 or 8, he had thought about going over to Yuichiro's apartment and asking if he wanted to play but he knew it would be pointless – Krul never let him out unless he told her exactly where he was going, and considering her dislike of Guren the chance her letting him interact with her 'sworn enemy's' son would be practically non-existent. His mother was always busy so Mikaela spent most days alone, filling the time studying or having violin lessons yet on the odd free day he would in sit in the quiet, pristine apartment and wonder about his neighbour's life; his father was also constantly busy so did he spend a lot of time on his own? Sometimes he would hear the light-haired man called Shinya stop by to check on him with food but on the days he didn't was Yuichiro feeling just as lonely as him?

What did he do on the nights that Guren worked late?

Has he ever woken up at dawn to find himself alone?

He wondered why he never knocked on that door.

One day, fate decided to give them their second meeting. Mikaela's violin teacher had called him to say that she was unable to leave her house due to having to babysit her sister's child so he would have to come to her. Jumping at the chance to leave his immaculate prison Mikaela quickly grabbed his violin and headed for the elevator. As the shiny steel doors parted to allow him into the building's lobby he spotted a familiar figure near the front doors.

It was Yuichiro. He was standing with two other boys whom Mikaela recognised. He had seen them going into Yuichiro's apartment a lot after they started high school. So they must be his… friends?

"Ehh? What the heck are you talking about, Kimizuki?!" Yuichiro glared up at the taller boy with glasses. "Asuramaru TITAN is the coolest hero out there!"

"As if! Kiseki-O FLOW is by far superior!" the one called Kimizuki smirked.

"Asuramaru TITAN is way stronger than your little fairy!"

"Tch, the only thing your brute is good for is destroying stuff! At least Kiseki-O FLOW has strategic prowess!"

"You take that back!"

"What? It's true."

"Arrrgh, Kimizuki!"

Were they arguing about some sort of superhero group? Like the show he had seen advertised on TV? It seemed a little childish for boys their age but watching Yuichiro getting so worked over defending his favourite character, how his cheeks got red and how he strongly pouted between comebacks – it was strangely… cute.

"A-ahaha, c'mon now guys! Let's calm down, we're making a scene…!" the other boy laughed nervously, attempting – and failing – to calm the raging pair.

"Not now, Yoichi, I'm gonna break this guy's glasses!" Yuichiro growled, causing Kimizuki to flinch.

"Wah! N-no, not again, Yuu!" Yoichi cried, hugging Yuichiro's arm.

Mikaela felt his breath hitch slightly. Yuichiro and that smaller boy, were they that close that they could just touch each other so casually?

"Oh! I'm sorry, are we in your way?"

"Hm?" Mikaela blinked. He hadn't realised he was staring at the group, who were now all staring back at him. "Oh, no. Don't mind me…"

He glanced at Yuichiro as he spoke. It was the first time they had locked eyes for longer than two seconds. His evergreen eyes were still large and as bright as always, and they still caused Mikaela's heart to flutter slightly. Now that there was a distraction Yoichi took the chance to end the feud.

"Okay guys, we should hurry! My sister wants me home earlier today and I want to at least finish a level on 'Black Demon Moon'! Okay?" he pleaded.

"Alright Yoichi, let's go!" Yuichiro smiled as he ruffled Yoichi's hair, making Mikaela feel weird. The trio of boys walked past him and entered the elevator, their conversation much friendlier. Once again Yuichiro had past him without even a glance.

Mikaela gripped the handle of his violin case and hurried out of the building, the warm summer air doing nothing to thaw the strange coldness that gripped his chest.

What was wrong with him?

What was changing?

"Yuu… Yuu-chan…"

It was when he found Yuichiro on the roof that it became clear to him. Watching the boy stumble around on the roof and moaning to himself Mikaela realised something:

This boy had completely taken over his life.

Every day thoughts of his neighbour filled the blonde's head from the moment he got up to long after he had turned off his light. What Mikaela felt wasn't just simple curiosity anymore, nor was it the desire just to become friends with Yuichiro – it was something far stronger. You could probably say it was a classic 'love at first sight' scenario. He had come to accept the feelings swirling around in his chest and now the time had come to act on them.

"I wish I could be a cloud." He heard Yuichiro say out loud. "A cool cloud. Not a lame one."

Taking a deep breath, Mikaela stepped forward.

"I think even as a cloud you'd still cause some damage."

It didn't matter if Yuichiro didn't remember him, or if he never returned his feelings; Mikaela just wanted to talk to him, laugh with him, be with him – the strange and captivating boy from across the hallway.


End file.
